The Road Trip
by ShunKickShunKers
Summary: AU Emily convinces Hotch to drive her and her friend JJ to New York. Garcia suspects something is up and decides to tag along Emily/Hotch Teen-ish fic -ABANDONED FOR NOW
1. Chapter 1

**Hellow people :D I'm new in the Criminal Minds section but after watching the show for a while I came up with this ^^". Beware that this is a VERY AU fic and I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it :3 **

**Some ages are also messed up, so here is a reference: **

**Hotch: 25 **

**Garcia: 22**

**Morgan: 20 **

**Emily: 18 **

**JJ: 18 **

**Reid: 12 **

**Disclaimer: if I owned Criminal Minds, Hotch and Prentiss would be together. And since they are not…**

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><p><strong>The Road Trip<strong>

**1**

_The quietness was starting to drive him crazy. A glance at his watch informed him they had been sitting in the hospital wing for only forty minutes. Yet, it already felt like hours. Hotch clenched the green scarf and brought it closer to his face. Her scent gave him the tidbit of strength he needed to keep himself together for the time being. Then, he slowly raised his eyes and glanced around him._

_Aside from him, five people were sitting in the room. A twelve year-old boy leaned sleepily against a blond young woman, a black young man tightened his knuckles, a forty year old man rested his head against the wall, lids shut, and a purple-haired woman clenched a cross in one hand and with the other typed fast and nervously on the keyboard of her laptop. All stood there for the same reason and he was grateful for their presence. As quiet as the building may be, he didn't want to feel alone this particular moment. _

_A door open and a nurse walked out of the emergency room, holding a file and flipping pages. The six heads lifted at her approach but she walked straight ahead without giving them much of a second glance. The blonde young woman sighed in frustration, making her younger neighbor jump and blink heavily:_

"_I can't take this anymore. She's been in there for hours!" _

"_Forty five minutes" Hotch corrected deadpan, but his grip on the scarf tightened again. "And it might take even more. This is tough for everyone JJ, so please calm down and if you can't handle the wait, just get some fresh air." _

_The blonde glared at him and he held her gaze. After a few moments of staring, she eventually turned towards her younger neighbor. _

"_I'm going to call Gideon. You wanna talk to him too Spence?" _

_The boy nodded sleepily and stood up. They walked away in the corridor and silence returned. After another while, the purple-haired woman stopped typing and put her hand on his shoulder:_

"_She'll be all right Ronny. She's a fighter, she'll come out of it."_

_Only then Hotch realized he was slightly shaking. The two others glanced at him in disbelief, somewhat amused by the nickname. The man ignored them and acknowledged her support with a swift nod; even if he wanted he could not bring himself to smile right now. His knuckles had turned white from clenching the soft cloth and he too was losing patience. He thought of taking his own advice, but didn't want to miss any update. Instead, Hotch closed his eyes and let his mind drift away, hoping someone would wake him up from this nightmare._

**-1 year earlier; June -**

Something shook his shoulder. Aaron Hotchner automatically opened his eyes and moved to grab whatever was touching him.

"Hey watch it!" a female voice objected indignantly. The high-pitch tone made the young man wince and release her wrist. "I swear this is the last time I'm waking you up!"

"Five more minutes Garcia." he muttered, half-hiding his face underneath his pillow. Instead of responding, Garcia opened the curtains wide, allowing the bright sunlight to illuminate the room, and pulled the sheets roughly off his body. That last move made him glare at her.

"What was that for?" Hotch protested. "I could have been naked there!"

Before him stood a white-blonde-haired woman in her early twenties, dressed in a flashy yellow and orange dress and purple tights. She adjusted her pink glasses and crossed her arms.

"For one, Aaron Hotchner, it's already close to noon. For two, lose The Hotch Glare; it doesn't work with me. For three, you never sleep commando and even if you did, I've already seen you in your naked glory. And..." she paused and sniffed the air, frowning in displeasure. "Is this alcohol I smell? Don't tell me you've been drinking over Haley again!"

Hotch knew that reprehending tone too well. She'd used it many times with Sean, his twelve years old brother, when he had messed up with something. Taking his silence for a positive answer, she rolled her eyes.

"It's been a week Hotch. You two broke up; big deal!" The man grunted something, and Garcia went on: "I mean, I understand why you're angry; you two have been together for years and that woman had been cheating on you for the last few months…"

"Thank you for reminding me" he muttered, raising a hand to rub his temples in attempt to lift the rising headache. The woman's expression softened as she sat on the border of the bed. She patted his shoulder and offered him a weak smile.

"You'll find a better girl to take care of you. I mean, once people get to know you, you're a very likable person."

"Are you hinting I am asocial?"

Garcia's eyes widened like saucers.

"Oh of course not!" she immediately replied. "You are just very intimidating and that makes people freak out a bit especially when you do The Hotch Glare and it would really do you good if you smiled a bit more because you have those cute dimples to die for and if I didn't have already my sweet Kevin I'd totally go for you but I know you don't see me other than a very cheerful attaching and sometimes annoying tenant who meddles with your life all the time but who you love because if you didn't I would have been standing on the pavement in front of your house years ago" she paused briefly to catch her breath and added: "Although given the annoyed expression on your face I supposed I'd better step out of the room to let you dress up and finish preparing lunch."

The young man stared at her deadpan. Garcia immediately stood up and hurried out the door. While they both knew he would actually never throw her out of the house, Hotch still imposed a line between them; and even though Garcia was nosy and part of the family, she respected it. At some point.

After the woman's departure, Hotch headed to the bathroom and took a shower. Once he put a decent pair of jeans and sweatshirt, he headed towards the kitchen. Smells of lasagna filled the place but he didn't feel hungry. The thought barely crossed his mind that he spotted Garcia cheerfully humming behind her pans.

"You don't have to do all this you know" he said. The woman jumped in surprise, not having heard him approach.

"No offense, but the Hotch brothers are not known for their cooking. You almost poisoned me with that fish the other day" she pointed out. Hotch winced, knowing she was right. The only time he and Sean had decided to join their effort to prepare a decent meal had them ended in the ER. "And _this_ is _healthy_ food. Now pick up a plate. Lasagna's almost ready."

"Sorry, I'm not really hungry."

The woman dropped her tools, turned back and started speaking very quietly:

"If you tell me you're out till the evening, I am going to be _very_ mad."

"I just need to take a walk" he protested, raising his hands defensively. "Just a few hours and I'll be back. Promise."

Her scrutinizing gaze reminded him of his mother's when she was searching for a lie. When she found none, Garcia pulled him into a tight hug, patted his shoulder again and said:

"Go get some fresh air. I'll put some lasagna aside before Sean eats it all."

The man nodded his thanks and, taking his jacket, stepped out the house.

Raising his eyes, Hotch met the clear sky of the midday. Deep blue and cloudless, yet a light wind started to rise. He wondered for a few seconds where he should go, before opting for the public park. The place was close by and usually quiet; exactly what he needed right now. Luckily, a free bench was waiting for him in the shadow of a huge tree. Hotch sat there, closed his eyes and let his mind wander.

Since Haley had left him, he had a hard time getting back on track. Working his law classes until exhaustion couldn't distract him anymore and despite his hate for alcohol, it helped him to forget for a few hours. The following mornings though...Garcia was right to be upset with him.

The young man shook his head, feeling guilty at her earlier expression. When he and Sean had first moved across her street, she had turned out to be a great help to them, keeping an eye on his brother when he was out too late or cheering him up when he felt down. They had become close with time and when her parents died in a car accident, Hotch had readily agreed to let her live with them. Since then, they were family, even though she still joked about being their tenant.

Although sometimes he wondered how they managed the cohabitation...

Hotch felt rather than heard someone approach and stand in front of him. Since he was not in the mood for a chat, he tried to ignore the presence and stay in his own mind.

"You do know you are making grumpy grimaces even with your eyes closed?"

The young man felt a hint of annoyance and opened his lids, ready to snap at whoever was there that they could get lost, when he suddenly lost his voice. A tall brunette with big dark eyes was staring at him with friendly curiosity, hands stuffed in the pockets of her sleeveless jacket. When he didn't utter a word after a few minutes, she tilted her head on the side and asked in a very candid, yet teasing, tone:

"Do you always look so intense when you stare at people?"

And that was how he met Emily Prentiss.

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><p><strong>Here is for starters...let me know if you liked it? <strong>

**Thank you for reading :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for reviewing the first chapter :3 Nothing much to add, so I'll just let you read.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination.**

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><p>"<em>Do you always look so intense when you stare at people?"<em>

_And that was how he met Emily Prentiss. _

**Chapter 2**

Hotch took a few seconds to gather his thoughts and scanned the newcomer more carefully. Sleeveless grey jacket, red sweater and dark blue skirt. The top of her dark brown boots stopped under her knee. Back on her face, he observed the light mascara on her eyes and red lips. Her hair hid her ears, so he couldn't see if she wore earrings.

She appeared to be in her late teens, but her distant and observing eyes made her look older. Cute, Hotch decided, was a very fitting adjective to qualify her physical aspect. Had she been a few years older, the man knew he would have definitively been attracted to her.

"What do you want?" he asked when she didn't move away.

The young woman sighed, tilted her head and shrugged.

"Not much. Why the grim face?"

In spite of his slight annoyance, dimples appeared in the corner of his mouth.

"How is this any of your concerns?"

She raised a fine thin brow and Hotch bit back the urge to chuckle at her annoyed pout.

"Is that your way of answering? Using a question?"

"You are not answering mine either."

"Then we are at a dead end" she chuckled before letting herself fall on the bench next to his. Hotch just stared at her warily but didn't comment. Her behavior intrigued him but as Garcia had pointed out earlier, he wasn't the best at socializing. He vaguely wondered what she wanted with him.

A few moments went by before she eventually broke the silence:

"So? Why the grim face?"

The man sighed and shook his head.

"Once again, how is this any of your concerns?"

He didn't expect her to burst out laughing.

"We really are at a dead end" she repeated her early words with a smile, shifting on her seat to face him. "What do I have to do to get somewhere with you?"

Against his better judgment, Hotch decided to play along:

"Maybe starting by giving me your name?"

The twinkle in her eyes triggered an odd feeling in his chest. Rectification, he thought, she was not cute anymore but dangerously adorable.

"It's only fair." she straightened and, with an exaggerated serious expression, held out her hand and added: "I'm Emily."

Hotch took her hand and shook it with the same level of fake seriousness. He tried to ignore how warm and soft it felt in his cold palms.

"Aaron."

She grinned. He stopped breathing. The odd feeling increased and this time, he didn't like what he recognized. Attraction, because who in their right mind would deny how good-looking she was. Guilt, because even though he and Haley were through, it still felt like cheating. And puzzlement, because he had no idea why a girl he suspected being under-age aroused such attention from him.

"Very nice to meet you. So now, will you tell me what's bothering you?"

He raised an eyebrow and, with a pointed glance, let her know his condition was still the same. Emily sighed and grumbled:

"Guess I will have to do the analysis on my own." She stared at him straight in the eyes and started: "You're a good-looking guy, brooding alone in a public park. Now, I can only guess a few reasons; one, you just got bad news about your working life - could it be college or your workplace. Or, you got into a fight with someone close to you, someone who has enough influence to make you feel bad and angry at him or her and yourself; like a parent, a close friend or a girlfriend."

Hotch involuntarily winced at the last word. Emily's eyes flashed.

"So you did have a fight with your girlfriend." She whispered with sympathy. "Is it that bad?" He didn't reply, taken aback by the accuracy of her words. How could she read him so easily when they have barely met? No-one among his relatives managed to see right through him; even Garcia, whom he considered being his closest friend, couldn't decrypt his moods sometimes. Why was it different with this girl? "She dumped you?"

At these words, Hotch stood up from the bench and glared down at her. All he wanted were a few moments to himself, take the time to clear his mind before returning home and that girl he didn't even know was ruining it for him.

"Like I said earlier" he hissed angrily, "None of your business."

Far from being afraid of him, Emily merely stared back and held his gaze without blinking - another thing he was not used to. Aside from Garcia and his brother, everyone ran away from what people had come to nickname 'the Hotch Glare'.

"You looked in a desperate need for distraction." The young woman whispered, without breaking eyes contact. "And so do I lately." She stood up in turn and slipped her hands back in her pocket. "Do you mind? Sometimes it's easier to confide to a stranger than to people you are close to." She stared at her boots nonchalantly and Hotch couldn't decide what to make of her. Who was that girl? Why was she being so nosy? Why had she decided to pick on him of all people? What did she mean by he needed a distraction? And what did she mean by she felt the same? "You up for a coffee? I know a nice place across the street."

Hotch didn't answer right away. His eyes kept boring into hers, seeking for answers, but her soft smile and facial expression betrayed nothing. Nothing. And once again, he found himself drawn into her amazing eyes…

"What are you playing at?" he eventually asked, tired of the silence. As he more or less expected, Emily merely shrugged and took a few steps away.

"There's only one way for you to find out," she teased with that little grin of hers.

Hotch couldn't help it. There were many reasons why he shouldn't do this; Garcia was going to throw a fit if he showed up late, he had work from college to catch up and was still a bit hangover. But the warmth in her eyes was…intriguing. The young man could not ignore his curiosity and he didn't have anything better to do anyway. As he stepped behind her, Hotch figured he could indulge himself a few hours with a perfect stranger now. How bad could that be?

**-RT- June -RT-**

Penelope stared at the man she nicknamed her landlord with utter amazement. He was currently sitting at the kitchen table, a book in one and a mug of coffee in the other -in other words, looking absolutely normal, but his words had paralyzed her hearing system for a full minute.

"Come again?"

Hotch glanced at her quickly before returning to his book.

"I am going on a two week trip with a friend starting Monday. Is it okay if I leave Sean in your care during that time?"

Garcia stared at him again. Nope, she had heard well.

"You, Aaron Hotchner, are leaving me and Sean all alone to go on a trip with a friend?"

The man glanced again at her.

"If there's a problem, I can always ask Mrs Turner to keep an eye on him."

"No!" the woman exclaimed, making him jump in surprise. "No, that is not...that is..._you never go on a trip Ronny! _You spent the past year stuck in your bedroom studying and friendless and brushing away every chance to go out! The only evenings you were actually out were when you stayed at the library or when Sean and I forced you out of your cave! I demand explanations!"

Hotch sighed and shook his head.

"There is nothing to explain" he muttered. "And I do have friends."

In front of the woman's suspicious look, the man shrugged and returned to his book. It was true, he did have friends aside from Garcia. At least one. An eighteen-years-old female brunette with sparkling eyes and a cute grin. Hotch smiled inwardly.

After their encounter at the park, once she had lost her little attitude, Emily and he had actually hit off pretty well. While the man suspected she was smart, he hadn't expected her to be _that_ smart. Despite the seven years between them, she had no difficulties holding a conversation with him or debating on various subjects without sounding immature. Their tastes and opinions differed sometimes, but it made their relationship even more interesting. And the more time he spent with her, the more he came to appreciate her company.

She was impulsive and did not hesitate to speak her mind, especially with him. When they argued, her eyes would flash dangerously and she would not back off in front of his glares. And that little detail was something he particularly appreciated.

They would meet once or twice a week, depending on his schedule -Emily had told him she was home-schooled, so her agenda was rather flexible, and go out for a coffee or simply take a walk. Although the thought had crossed his mind, Hotch had never tried to initiate something more. While a few signs on her side told him she wasn't against upgrading to a romantic level, the man didn't feel confident enough to engage such a relation. Especially with Emily. He wasn't sure he could...handle it. At least not right now. But it didn't stop his imagination from wandering from time to time during the night.

"What's with the smile Ronny?"

Garcia's voice woke him from his reverie and made him realize he was grinning.

"Nothing" he replied, a bit too quickly. That was enough for the woman.

"Is your friend a girl?" she asked with an unmistakable tone; the gossiper in her was seeking for answers. Hotch sighed inwardly. He knew he should have pretended he was going on a conference on whatever boring subject.

"Yes." There was no need to lie; she would find out anyway. Garcia's eyes flashed in excitement.

"And where are you heading?"

"New York. We are dropping off a friend of hers there." Hotch paused before adding: "I'll be coming back by plane, they just need a chauffeur."

"Oh that's a road trip! Tell me something Ronny, when did you two hook up?"

The man sighed annoyingly and stared at her.

"About a year ago, and no Garcia, there's nothing going on between us. She's too young for me."

Garcia didn't look discouraged.

"Too young? What, two or three years? That's noth-"

"Seven."

That made the blonde-white haired woman pause.

"What?"

"Emily is eighteen."

The bit of news stunned the woman into muteness, and Hotch waited. He knew that kind of silence too well, the kind of 'calm-before-the-storm'. And given the size of her eyes and the tightening of her jaw, she would explode in three, two, o-

"This is...crazy! Hotch...What if she's a man-eater? What if she's just playing you? Girls her age always look into older men I mean, it's obvious...How long have you known her? One year? Isn't that about the time Haley dropped you? I'm totally sure she saw you were vulnerable and took advantage of you and since you're a gentleman you totally let her charm you and then they're going to drag you into dance clubs and bars and..."

Hotch let her ramble for a while and picked up his mug. Garcia would eventually cool down.

"...and I have to make sure it won't happen anymore so I'm coming with you."

The man choked on his coffee and stared at the woman incredulously. Garcia looked extremely...firm, and that little light in her eyes...Not good.

"What?"

"I won't feel at ease if I don't keep a close eye on you. So you can tell your little friend I'm coming with you."

The man stood up and started slowly:

"You know, Emily's friend is pregnant, so we won't do anything foolish."

"_Pregnant_? Is she eighteen too?"

"Garcia..." he let his voice trail off in warning. The woman blinked, then held his stare.

"I know, don't assume what you don't know but it doesn't matter. My mind is made up" she went on with a determined tone. "You're all made of stone but your heart is still vulnerable and I will protect it no matter what! Don't try to talk me out of it!"

"Oh I wouldn't dare" he muttered, dreading the day the two will meet already.

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><p><strong>So, worth a third chapter?<strong>

**Thank you for reading so far :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews :)**

**Disclaimer; I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Road Trip <strong>

**3**

When Penelope Garcia woke up that morning, she was determined to figure out what intentions that 'Emily' bore towards Hotch. While the man had defended her thoughtfully, claiming the arrangement held no agenda from either part, she was still suspicious. And, if she was honest with herself, a bit scared. Hotch had been her...protector during hard times; and she hated when he got hurt. So if that young lady had planned to play with the man's heart, Garcia would find out and prevent it at all costs.

"There she is."

One thing was certain, Hotch was uncharacteristically enthusiastic. His dimples were flashing full force and his eyes twinkling in a way she hadn't seen since...forever. Following his gaze, she spotted a young woman standing on the sidewalk, a green suitcase at her side. Her face was looking down, focused on a device in her hand -likely a cell phone- and she was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and black jacket. As Hotch drove closer, the girl lifted her head and smiled at their sight.

Observation number one: Emily looked cute.

They parked, stepped out of the car, and then, Garcia knew her first impression had been right. While she thought her friend preferred blondes, the tall brunette looked...gorgeous. Dark eyes, amazing skin, the nose was perhaps straight and her mouth a bit large, but it suited her. And her silhouette...Yep, definitively fitting any man's taste. Like the gentleman he was, Hotch picked up her suitcase after hugging her 'hello' and put it in the car. In the meantime, the older woman held out a hand for introductions:

"Hi, I'm Penelope Garcia."

"Emily Prentiss" she replied with a smile, shaking hers in return. Observation number two: she looked friendly. "I heard you'd be accompanying us as far as Kansas City?"

"There is a conference I want to attend to there." the woman replied, leaving aside the fact it was more like the opening of a hacker game for international pros. The fact her boyfriend Kevin was living in the area temporarily had just sealed her decision. She would basically just 'take advantage' of the ride. And observe them during that period of time.

"The car's loaded." Hotch announced. "Ready to go?"

At his words, Emily's face brightened. And Garcia had to admit her eyes looked genuinely happy.

"Sure! Will you take the front seat?" she added, turning towards the older woman. Garcia hesitated a second before shaking her head. She wanted to observe their interaction from the back, see if Emily would act in some suspicious way. She had a few days to draw a conclusion.

**-RT-**

"Oh shit!"

Emily and Garcia stared at the man blankly. Hotch grimaced apologetically.

"I forgot to fill the tank."

This time, both girls smirked in amusement.

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you did this on purpose" the brunette teased with a grin. He gave her a glare and took the next exit. Fortunately, the closest gas station was a few minutes away. Garcia declared that she'd use the restroom and Emily decided to check the station's shop. On her way there the brunette noticed two motorbikes parked nearby, guarded by one rider who was smoking a cigarette. When he glanced at her, she frowned back at him; the guy was probably in his late forties and looked like an old fox. He merely grinned at her and nodded, a gesture the young woman completely ignored as she entered the shop.

Shelves of fast food, sandwiches and a few magazines greeted her, but the small row of books in an isolated corner caught her eye immediately. She didn't expect to find anything aside from a few classics and odd names, but she could still give it a try.

The drive had gone well so far. Hotch and her had been chatting and bantering the whole time, maybe a bit flirty on edge -in short, acting like they always did- to the point she had forgotten they had a third passenger. Emily frowned. While Hotch had told her the woman was just taking advantage of their itinerary to accompany them, the brunette wasn't stupid. The moment she had looked into her eyes, she knew Garcia had invited herself on purpose, and although Emily still wondered why, she had a feeling she would find out sooner than later.

The thoughts were pushed when she stopped in front of the few books on display. Tracing the backs of the covers with a finger, she paused over the title 'Slaughterhouse Five' and grinned. Well, well, that was a nice surprise she thought as she pulled it out of the shelf.

"Kurt Vonnegut, seriously?"

Emily raised her head at the surprised tone and crossed the eyes of a dark-skinned man staring at the book with a grin. He was also carrying a black and yellow helmet and wearing a leather jacket. She raised an eyebrow, guessing he was the second bike rider.

"Excuse me?"

"Kurt Vonnegut. I didn't know anyone besides myself read that thing."

His excitement sounded genuine, so she decided a small grin would be harmless.

"I've got an excuse, I'm a nerd."

"And I found that book in my old man's library. Once I started it, just couldn't stop."

The young woman chuckled, and he flashed her a suggestive grin.

"The name's Derek Morgan."

"Nice meeting you." She replied nonchalantly. "Now if you don't mind, I'll head to the cashier."

She had barely made a few steps that he caught up with her and flashed a few bills under her nose.

"Please, on my tab. It's not every day I find a cute girl sharing my taste in literature."

**-RT-**

"Okay, spill the beans. What were your plans with that kid?"

The man turned his attention away from the knozle and stared at Garcia. The woman had returned from her bathroom break and crossed her arms, staring at him intensely. He frowned at her in return.

"What are you talking about?"

Garcia felt the urge to roll her eyes. The whole drive she had noted the way they interacted; the bickering the flirting...and he still played innocent.

"Jeez Hotch why can't you be honest with me? That girlfriend of yours is really something! I mean, she's funny, smart and good-looking...look at her cute face, those big eyes, that hair to die for! She's not anorexic like Haley" Garcia ignored his attempt of protest "and I swear I've never seen a teen with such a pair of boo-"

"I get it Garcia" Hotch interrupted, obviously ill-at-ease. "Can you get straight to the point?"

The woman narrowed her eyes and added:

"My point is, there is absolutely no way you have _only platonic_ feelings towards her. You are a guy Hotch, remember? And unless you had hidden another secret affair from me, you haven't got any for a year. My guess, if I wasn't here you would have not slept in different beds tonight."

Hotch rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to reply but something behind Garcia made him stop. The subject of their conversation was walking out of the shop, closely followed and talking to a guy he didn't know. Given their body language, the interaction was friendly, enthusiastic even, and perhaps even a bit flirty on the guy's end. Hotch frowned at that. It looked odd in his perspective to see her talking so...passionately with someone else; and it felt even weirder to see it happening with a man. Someone more her age...

"You're going to burn that cute stranger into ashes if you keep on glaring at him that way."

"I'm not..." Hotch started to protest, returning his attention on Garcia. But the look she gave him made him sigh. "Okay, maybe a bit, but..."

"Hey Aaron! Pen!" Emily's voice interrupted him and both turned towards the young woman, closely followed by the man. "Meet Derek Morgan, a Kurt Vonnegut fan." Hotch and Garcia exchanged a puzzled glance. _Kurt who_? Emily went on, ignoring the lack of response: "Derek is heading to Salt Lake City with his uncle. Funny coincidence, don't you think?"

"We might come across each other from time to time." the man said with a grin. His cell phone rang, signaling the reception of a text. Morgan glanced quickly at it and sighed. "Gotta go. Anyway, you got my number!" he winked at Emily before walking away. "See ya around Princess! Nice meeting you, Mr Aaron, Baby Girl."

Garcia blinked at him, echoing his last words in shock while Hotch frowned. Only Emily remained unfazed, waving back at the departing figure with amusement.

**-RT-**

"So Hotch told me you are planning to stop by were heading to New York to drop a friend?"

They had arrived at the hotel and after checking in, decided to relax a little before going out for dinner. Hotch, being the driver, was graciously allowed to take the shower first while the women unpacked their stuff. Emily pushed a loose stripe of hair behind her ear and nodded.

"Yeah. JJ- I mean, my friend, Jennifer Jareau, asked me to accompany her to New York. Her fiancé is a student in some university there...She's two months pregnant so she didn't want to take off alone, especially starting from Utah. Plus she hates the plane, and so do I. And I felt it'd be safer to be accompanied by a man than to wander alone."

Garcia nodded:

"Sound reasonable. Any reason why you picked up Hotch in particular?"

Emily blinked at her passive-aggressive tone.

"Reason?" she echoed, blinking. "What do you mean?"

The older woman crossed her arms:

"He was in slight depression when you two met. And I've been a teen before. Did you want to take advantage of him during the trip? Figure out how good he is in the sack before dumping him?"

Emily's eyes flared.

"My relation with Aaron is none of your business! And he is a great guy. I wouldn't want to hurt him!"

"So why did you flirt with that guy at the gas station?"

The younger woman huffed and shook her head.

"That was meaningless. And no, I don't have his number, he doesn't have mine, heck I didn't even gave him my name or yours! He was just joking for God's sake! And don't you claim you never flirted with a random cute guy before, I wouldn't believe you."

"That's beside the point..."

The anger in Emily's eyes silenced her.

"So you would feel better if I acted like a slut and threw myself at him?" Her tone was sharp and cold, and Garcia winced, feeling she might have gone too far. The younger woman took a deep breath and added: "Listen; this trip is something Aaron and I were really looking forwards to. I know you two are good friends and for his sake, I will forget this conversation. But God I swear please don't meddle with this." She paused and added quickly: "I'll go take a quick walk outside."

And with those words, Emily headed towards the hotel door and slammed it behind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the lateness. I've been completely demotivated to write anything so this chapter will be short and more of a filling. Sort of. Next one should be more lengthy :P **

**Thanks for the reviews :3**

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><p><strong>The Road Trip<strong>

**4**

Someone rang at the front door. Two heads raised at the same time, distracted by their game of poker.

"Are you expecting someone JJ?" asked a fair-haired boy with huge glasses as she lay down her cards face hidden. Jennifer Jareau, nicknamed 'JJ', bit her lower lip in wonder. Her parents were not supposed to come back until at least eight and she couldn't recall anyone saying they'd visit.

"I don't know Spence" she replied calmly, rising from her seat. She quickly glanced at her friend. "What time had Gideon said he'd come to pick you up?"

The twelve-year-old boy shrugged.

"Seven thirty, but it's barely six twenty-three. And had he been early, he _would_ have called. And even if he was done earlier his plane does not land until seven anyway."

Jennifer couldn't hold back a soft smile. Jason Gideon, an FBI profiler, had adopted Spencer Reid, her neighbor and best friend. Because of his job, the man was often absent and she was hired to keep an eye on him. Not that she really minded, despite being six years younger than her, Spencer was already in his senior year of high-school, in her class and one of her best friends.

The bell rang again, almost insistent. Jennifer sighed and stood up.

"Whatever. Turn on the TV please, I'll see what this is about."

The boy frowned.

"You sure you want to answer?" Before she could answer, he added quickly: "Did you know that 57.4% of burglaries occurred during the day and 32 per cent were unlawful entries? And I know we live in a low-risk neighborhood but what if a maniac decides to strike?"

JJ rolled her eyes.

"You, my friend, have been reading Gideon's reports behind his back again, haven't you?"

Spencer shrugged, a little embarrassed, but stood up and turned the TV on. The blonde then headed towards the door as the bell rang a third time. JJ peeked through the peephole. On the other side, a man in his mid-thirties was shifting impatiently on his feet, glaring at his watch. He was dressed casually, faded blue jeans and black jacket. Unshaven cheeks gave him a bad boy kind of look, but it suited him well. The young woman kept the bolt on as she opened slowly.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

The man's expression turned into a frown and when he spoke, she immediately heard the heavy English accent.

"Sorry to bother you but I'm looking for Emily Prentiss. Any idea where she could be?"

JJ raised an eyebrow in surprise. She and Emily had met by pure chance through another friend, hit it off right away, and since then had been best buddies. Because of Emily's mother's job, the teenager was often away, but that didn't stop their friendship; skype, msn and twitter had been useful tools to maintain, even solidify, it. And during their numerous chats, the brunette had mentioned the latest 'spy' her mother had hired to keep a close eye on her. And if she wasn't mistaken...

"Who are you?" she asked, suspecting the answer. The man sighed impatiently:

"My name is Clyde Easter, I'm her..._bodyguard._" He pronounced the word with such cynicism she almost smirked.

"I've heard about you" JJ simply replied and shrugged. "But sorry, I haven't seen her. Since when has she been on the loose?"

Clyde's frown deepened, as if feeling she knew more than she was letting on.

"I know from a reliable source she is supposed to pick you up for some road trip. But it is important that she does not undergo any stress or get herself into trouble. If I don't hear a word from her before tomorrow night, I will take extreme measures. Make sure she understands that." He started to turn away, but then stopped and looked at her straight in the eye one last time: "She's a good kid. In any other circumstances I would have trusted her, but tell her I don't wish to bring her back in a body bag."

He left on those words, hands in his pocket and a hint of anger in his walk. JJ stood there, bit little taken aback. What did he mean, back in a body bag? Was Emily in some sort of trouble? She would have told her if it was the case, right? She was tempted to ask the man for more details, but...

"JJ, who was it?"

The young woman realized she had been staring longer than necessary at the now empty space behind the door. She slowly closed it and turned back to face him. Spencer had that little air, slightly guilty-like, and she knew he had been eavesdropping. No need to worry him, though, she thought, and brushed his question away by telling him it was nothing important. She did excuse herself to go to the bathroom though, pulled out her cell phone, and dialed a familiar number.

-RT-

Emily was still fuming when she felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. She picked up without checking the ID.

"What?"

"_Well good evening to you too."_

The brunette closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Sorry JJ" she muttered. "I just got had a little misunderstanding with some nosy woman."

On the other side of the line, the blonde chuckled.

"_I suppose your boyfriend's friend saw through your act?" _

Emily rolled her eyes.

"Aaron is not my boyfriend and I wasn't planning to change that." She insisted heavily and JJ snorted, knowing her friend sometimes wished he were. "Okay, not yet. Anyway, what's up?"

The blonde sighed and tackled the reason of her call.

"_I got an interesting visit from your babysitter_." Emily blinked in surprise:

"Clyde? What did he want?"

"_To know where you are for starters."_ JJ paused. _"Is there any reason why he looked so worked up?"_

The brunette shut her eyes and sighed.

"He's just worried; it's his job to keep tabs on me. Don't get all worked up because of that."

"_He used the words 'body bag'. Excuse me for being 'worked up'."_

"Listen, it's nothing, really. I'll send him a text and he won't bother you anymore. How are you?"

"_I will ignore the fact you are trying to change subject and answer 'fine'."_ Emily winced, knowing her friend was a tidbit annoyed with her. _"You'll still be there in a few days?"_

"Yeah, if Miss Lollipop doesn't open her mouth too much. In that case, I might have to take a detour to hide her body."

JJ chuckled and said her goodbyes. Emily hung up and was about to put the cell back in her pocket when it vibrated again. This time, a text signaling she had received an email from the man they had been talking about. The brunette bit her lower lip guiltily. Despite being an adult and her bodyguard, Clyde was one of her closest friends. And she had pulled a nasty stunt on him, leaving all of a sudden this morning.

"_I'm sorry" _she typed down. "_Just let me have this. I promise to be safe. Em."_

Hoping he'd forgive her, she put her cell back in her pocket and got ready to return to the hotel room when...

"Eh Princess, that you?"

She blinked and glanced up. The black guy from the gas station was waving at her from the counter. Next to him, a older white man was in deep discussion with the clerk. Emily waved back at him with a small smile. Derek immediately abandoned his companion and walked to meet her.

"Talk about coincidences" she said as a greeting. Derek shrugged:

"Told you we were following the same itinerary. Speaking of which, where are your friends?"

"Taking their time changing. We're going out for dinner later." she hesitated, then added: "I'd ask if you wanna join us but I don't know if they're in."

Derek nodded in understanding.

"Yeah I get it. The old geezer would be pissed if I invited guests without asking him first."

"Derek Morgan, I sure hope you realize that old geezer is standing right behind you." Both young people jumped and stared - Derek with a slightly guilty expression over his face - at a man in his fifties. Dark-haired, dark-eyed, with a scruffy beard, barely hiding his mouth twisted in amusement. "Dang kid, you're learning fast" he added, nodding at Emily. A hint of embarrassment grew in Derek's eyes as he glanced apologetically at the young woman. "I hope I'm not interrupting private time with your girlfriend."

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't get your name." The man smiled.

"Good answer kid. Name is Rossi. David Rossi."

She shook his hand firmly, vaguely thinking the name sounded familiar. Then, from the corner of the eyes, she saw Hotch and Garcia heading her way. She released his hand and, after a quick good-bye, headed towards them. She did not expect the stoic expression on Hotch's face, but did anticipate the blonde's sassy remark:

"Meeting your friend again?"

Emily shrugged.

"What can I say, we're like magnets." she paused and glanced at the two men walking away. "And I have a feeling we'll be seeing them again."


End file.
